Upsetting Upset 1969

Gil Elvgren’s pin-up, *Upsetting Upset* seduces us with bold brushstrokes and playful innuendo. Elvgren’s illustrative painting feels very connected to his moment. The painting almost becomes a stage, where our model plays out a story for us. You can feel the influence of slick magazine culture, the desire to provoke, seduce, and sell. What's interesting to me is how, in this painting, the human body becomes a sort of landscape—like the generous contours of the body, made from soft, fleshy strokes. The painting embraces its own artificiality; it's a realm of artifice where colors are heightened and forms are exaggerated. Yet, within this artifice, there's a palpable human presence. As you leave this room, consider how Elvgren’s compositions connect with the broader history of painting, from classical nudes to contemporary figure painting.